have we are joined by an economics columnist with the washington newspaper. he says without an immediate deal, the discussion will significantly change in the new year. >> i think what we will see from the republicans is much greater flexibility as we get into the new year, if it comes to that. and, instead of voting for a tax increase, they are voting for a tax cut. the same policy, when you are voting for it on january 4, would be a tax cut. today, it would be a tax increase. it is a weird way of thinking about it, but we are a strange land, in terms of u.s. policy right now. heather is a sense the entire dynamic would change if we get a few days into the new year without a deal. the white house feel they have gone close to as far as they can go in terms of an offer. the have adjusted their proposal on tax increases so they would only go up on those making $400,000 a year, not $250,000 a year. they want real concessions out of the republicans before the agreed to everything. they do not want to negotiate against themselves and throw in the towel when they d